From Within The Ashes
by mae garnder
Summary: Lily and James discover that Lily is pregnant, amidst the war and tragedy. Not Complete! Rated T some fluff, birth stuff sometime in the future maybe, etc. etc. Short, messy, read and review if needed for some serious critique. My very first fic.
1. Food Binges and Morning Sickness

Lily Potter opened one eye, and then the other.

Bars of golden sunlight streamed through the windows and illuminated the now messy bedroom, giving it a bright, clear, happy feeling, despite the clothes and books strewn about. James's glasses hung lopsidedly off the headboard. How they got there was a mystery, because Lily had fallen asleep _ages_ before James did.

Rolling over, she nearly bumped into James, who was asleep with his face sunken into the pillow, his large left hand and masculine fingers were hanging limp over the edge of the bed.

The silver wedding band glinted in the morning sun while like subconsciously played with hers, Lily's eyes moving up and down his sheet tangled body. James's defined, muscled back tensed up slightly as she ran her smooth finger down his spine, toying with the band on his red plaid boxers, smiling.

A sudden pang in her stomach sent her off the bed. Lily suddenly felt very, _very_ ravenous. Pulling the covers back on James, she places a light kiss on his shoulder, then took his glasses and placed them on the night stand beside him.

Still smiling, she padded across the soft carpet, and opened the door, praying it wouldn't creak, then tiptoed down the hall and walked down stairs.

Finally, entering the kitchen, she darted to the pantry, and began to hunt for breakfast. Cooking just wasn't appealing this morning, especially since her stomach seemed to be going wild with hunger. James would have to fend for himself until dinner, Lily thought, amused.

James had singed cereal before, trying to warm up the milk, but blacked his wheats instead.

Lily laughed at the memory, and proceeded to scavenge for food.

The Potter's pantry was parted from their airy kitchen by a green curtain, and the kitchen was parted from the sitting room by a large Japanese folding screen. Near the pantry was another door, and it lead to the Potter's second bathroom, used for quick morning fix ups when one was late for work.

Lily pushed open the curtain, and scanned the shelves. Cinnamon raisin bagels, three Chocolate Frogs, Cockroach Clusters, pasta, loaves of bread, a can of vanilla frosting and cake mix lived on one shelf, but none of them suited Lily's sudden craving. She turned, and examined the adjacent shelf. A jar of peanut butter, pistachios, cheddar cheese, crisps, bottles of seltzer, butterbeer, and James's Fire Whiskey. Lily never could stomach the stuff, and it made her throat burn.

Sighing, Lily exited the pantry, and hoped the refrigerator would be more fruitful.

Nothing remotely appetizing sat in the refrigerator (the fridgerfrator, as James called it, because it was a muggle contraption, as was the fellytone) this morning. Digging around, Lily found carrots, lettuce, orange juice, eggs, and a variety of other dissatisfactory foodstuffs, but something caught her eye in the back.

Shoveling out numerous products and dropping them behind her unceremoniously, she reached her prize: an oversized, gigantic jar, crammed with baby dill pickles.

Lily pulled out the jar with great effort, then plunked herself down on the floor. Pushing the large jar between her knees, she held it there as she managed to twist the large metal lid off.

But at that very moment, Lily felt an enormous wave of nausea. She stood up, which made the spinning and sickness worse, and stumbled to the bathroom. Lily wrenched the door open but it was too late- she threw up onto the floor, inches from the toilet.

Throwing up is not a good thing, especially if you weren't sick, had not been drinking (right?), had been very, _very_ hungry, but all the while, had nothing to throw up in the first place. Lily cleaned up with a nonverbal spell, because she was afraid to open her mouth and throw up again.

Lily really, _really_ wanted to eat! The pickles were waiting! She stood up, and she felt the dizziness come back, but the actual pain and nausea go away. Walking back to her spot on the floor, she leaned again the fridge, and began to eat her pickles.

Ten minutes later, Lily still thought she was going to die from starvation. She stood, and marched to the pantry. There had to be _something_ there. Not even Lord Voldemort would stop her from eating. She's probably just tell him to piss off and get the hell away from her food, and then continue eating.

Entering the pantry again, she though she had gone crazy; about 15 minutes ago she hadn't though anything in here was appetizing! Now she looked at the chocolate, bagels, frosting and everything else in there like they were James: tantalizing and inviting.

Grabbing everything in reach, she decided to relocate to the couch, if she could see it. Peeking through the hole between the pistachios and bagels, she made her way over and dropped all her precious sustenance.

Now the feast could really begin.

An hour later, Lily was eagle-spread on the fluffy white carpet, in a food coma, her tummy bulging from the food she just ate- cheddar and peanut butter sandwiches on the cinnamon raisin bagels, pistachios in frosting and chocolate, bananas and almonds, fruit of all sorts, and then the entire bag of crisps, with butterbeer all down her front. Lily sat up, searching through the carnage for the prominent jar of pickles (the amount of pickles in the jar had largely decreased) and pulled out another, munching on it slowly as she laid back down.

A few minutes had passed when James had come stalking down the stairs, still in his boxers, his hair still sticking up at odd angles as it had done for years. James jumped a little when he saw the remains of the food on the floor and coffee table. "Lily? Lily, where are you!?" James cried out in alarm, his eyes scanning the room.. Lily poked her head up and laughed. "James, you twit, I'm on the floor! Where else would I be?" James rushed over, knocking empty cans out of the way.

He had a worried look and his face and asked if she was ok. "What are you doing on the floor, covered in butterbeer, with food all over the place!? You nearly gave me a freaking heart attack! You could have been stolen or poisoned! I...I didn't...I didn't know where you'd gotten too!"

"Oh my god, James, calm down! Im fine! Nobody came to steal me or poison me, or anything!

I was just a little hungry,"said Lily, a little flattered by her husband's nervousness. She sat up, and he pulled her into a hug. He buried his nose in her neck, kissing her and rocking her lightly.

Lily kissed his forehead, and pulled his face up into her hands. Lily's eyes asked the question, and James answered. "Everything is so dangerous now, with the war and the deaths and disappearances. Im just scared of losing you. I've already lost too much." James sighed, and Lily buried his face in her chest, and stroked his black hair, playing with it and twisting it around her long fingers.

Lily remembered how a year ago James's only parent left, his dad, went missing, and was presumed dead. Her own parents had been dead since 7th year. Lily sighed into James's hair. Her only blood relative left was her sister Petunia, and she was hardly acknowledging Lily's existence, let alone her marriage, or the fact that they were sisters.

But the one thing that Lily or James realize existed was the little life, now well fed, sitting happily within Lily, waiting to be discovered.


	2. Up The Spout

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything 'cept the plot and the bad grammar.

**A/N: **Sorry for the short chapter (I really really hate short chapters! Yell at me all you want, I need the punishment), long time taken to update, and the spelling/grammar mistakes.

Hope you all are having a nice weekend :D

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Trying to unwind herself from James, she felt his grip tighten around her waist. Kissing the top of his head, she wiggled free, still holding his hands.

"James," Lily started, "I'm fine. Everything is ok! I just got a little sick, that's all. I promise you that I am perfectly all right, and I'm still here."

Lily knew that by placing a hand on his thigh and staring intently with her green orbs would placate him, or shush him up. Either one.

James sighed again, heavily, then looked around the vicinity. Getting to his feet, he spoke.

"Let me help you clean up, yeah?" A small smile formed as he turned away and moved toward the trash and food remains, but he stopped short.

"Lily" He began slowly, "What...what on _Earth_ have you been eating!?" A note of surprise and alarm could be detected in his voice.

Lily explained her sudden hunger, and how after she threw up she decided to eat the odd assortment of food anyway.

"...pistachios and frosting, cheddar and peanut butter sandwiches, you know, just food I suppose..." Lily had been counting the courses on her fingers.

"And you say you got sick before hand? Ok..." James mumbled incoherently, but he had his undercover-secret-mission-Auror face on.

Lily stood up, then began to clean- almost everything went into the overflowing trash. After a couple minutes of silence, James spoke once again, continuing to interrogate his wife.

"Are you _positive_ you're ok? I mean, with the getting sick and then eating half the food in house? I thi-"

"James!" Lily started, cutting him off in the process, "Stop it! I am positively, perfectly, _absolutely_ ok! Nothing is wrong! Because honestly, it's getting a little annoying. I love you to death, and if I'm ever not ok, then I will tell you! I promise."

James looked a little hurt, then he softened. Taking hold her hand yet again, he sucked in a breath. Then he held it. His face because strained as his grip on her little hand tightened.

Lily stepped closer. What was he suffocating himself for? "James? James, are you-" Lily never finished her question because James spoke next.

"LilyIthinkyou'regonnahaveababy!" James let go, and the color returned to his face.

James, er, _what?_ Can you repeat that? I didn't understand you." The truth was, Lily did, and all she heard was 'baby'.

"Lily, dear..." James looked into her eyes, then looped a muscular arm around her dainty waist. Next he hooked his other arm around her shoulder, tipping her slightly. "I have reason to believe..." He trailed off again, this time to suddenly scoop Lily up in his arms and lay her down on the couch. Lily squealed.

Now Lily hooked an arm around her husband's warm neck, playing with tufts of his shiny black hair. Smiling, she silently asked him to continue what he was saying about...oh Merlin, a baby.

"Well, Lily..." He started stroking her thigh. Lily really wished he'd get out with it. "Lily, I think you are pregnant."

Her hand dropped from his neck. Her mouth was agape and silent for the next ten seconds. Sitting up, she put a hand on her lower belly. Could there possibly be a little life growing inside her, at this very moment? What if...what if James was right? It wouldn't be the first time, actually.

"You... you think? Just from knowing that I threw up and went on a crazy food binge?" Lily didn't know what to think She had to trust him to some degree, right?

Lily still had her hands on her belly, with her fingernails were submersed in the fabric, gripping tighter and tighter into her skin. The air seemed to have escaped from her lungs, causing them to deflate, and her head was spinning. Could she, Lily Potter, really, _really_ be pregnant? She and James hadn't even thought about babies or pregnancy or anything! Especially during this horrible war. The _last_ thing Lily wanted to do was to bring a baby into the world right now.

Sighing, she brought her legs up to her chest. Look to her kneeling husband, he reminded her of a knight. A slight smile was on his lips. His features were exactly the same as they had been in seventh year. Jet black hair, hazel eyes and long, soft lips. Since he wasn't wearing a shirt, his chest was exposed, showing off his collar bone, his rippling pectorals [in Lily's mind, she rolled the "'r's" because _rrrr_ippling pectorals sounded so much better! and leading down, his stomach was defined with eight [she'd counted numerous times gorgeous abs. Lily had to make a conscious effort to restrain herself from playing with his navel. Might it _truly_ be possible that she was carrying his beautiful child?

"Lily?" James's voice snapped her back to reality. "Lily, say something, the silence is scary!" He drew another deep breath and held it.

"You're goofy. How's that? And besides, I don't feel pregnant, so what if I'm not? I think its too early to tell. But it is possible...we aren't exactly virgins!" Lily searched James face, trying to decipher his expression: A huge, mischievous grin spread across his face.

"That _is_ true...hmmmm, shall we recap what we've done at least once every week for the past month...?" James smiled even _more_ broadly, if that was possible.

Lily slapped him playfully on the shoulder. Telling him he is naughty[which he is she tried getting up to finish cleaning. It was no use- James pinned her down on the couch, growling into her neck, he left a trail of kisses up to her mouth.

"I love you," James whispered, then placed his hand on Lily's uterus, "Pregnant or not."

Quickly kissing her cheek, he got up and picked up the rest of the refuse and carried it to the garbage. Flashing her a smile that nearly melted Lily into the couch, James disappeared behind the curtain of the pantry.

"Lily!" James called, "Lily, dear, you ate _all _chocolate frogs! And the butterbeer is gone!"

She rolled her eyes. That reminded her or pre-seventh year James. Arrogant, cheeky, and always, always hungry. But he was always sexy, especially now when he was walking around in his boxers on a Sunday afternoon.

"I'm going in the shower James!"

Lily stood up. She could see crumbs on the carpet- she would clean those later.

Hauling herself up the stairs, Lily could now feel the weight of all the food she'd eaten, and quite possibly the baby in her womb.

Entering the bathroom, Lily wanted to hurry up with the shower and go back to bed. Turning on the water, she occupied herself by looking in the mirror while it heated up.

In the mirror, the emerald eyes staring back at her and red-auburn hair were her most striking features. Standing to the side, she pictured herself getting bigger over the months to come. A little baby may be growing in her right this very moment! The thought thrilled her and terrified her. Taking a last look in the mirror, realization hit Lily like a brick wall.

A very rough, sharp and _heavy_ brick wall that invaded her brains and put a swooping sensation in her stomach.

It was _that_ time of month.

In fact, it was supposed to be that time of month four _days_ ago.

So Lily Potter, in fact, was pregnant.


	3. Not the Only One

**Disclaimer:** I own none of the characters, etc.

I'm really sorry I haven't updated in over two months. (Mercy... please...!) With the end of HeyLookTheSnitch's story, the Devil Wears Quidditch Gear, I figured it was time to get into the swing again... so yeah, enjoy!

* * *

Steam rolled off the beveled mirror, and drops of condensation left watery tracks down the surface. Lily, with a long towel wrapped around her, wiped a clear spot on the mirror, and sighed. The thought of going _all_ the way to St. Mungo's to get a pregnancy test defeated the reason of a quiet Sunday afternoon. She really didn't want to do any apparating either, especially if she was pregnant. Would apparating hurt the baby? Was there a baby? Only a Healer could be sure, and _they _were all the way in London. Everything was so far from Godric's Hollow.

And suddenly, Lily had a brilliant idea.

Toweling off, then slipping on her robe, she walked to her bedroom, and peered in. James was still downstairs, eating everything in the vicinity, no doubt. Lily laughed at the thought, thinking of the poor refrigerator. Tip-toeing in and closing the door quietly, she dressed, and headed downstairs.

Everything was clean: the cups, the dishes, even the crumbs from the carpet had disappeared . . . how thoughtful of James. Even the fridge seemed intact. Pregnancy (even though Lily may not even be pregnant) seemed to have already started reaping rewards. That, or James was best thing that ever happened to her.

Lily guessed that it was the latter.

James was still in his boxers, sitting on the counter, scanning the Daily Prophet. He had his eyes glued onto the paper until he was aware of Lily's presence; she swore she could hear his eyes click as he looked up.

Smiling, James pushed himself off the counter, setting down the Prophet on the kitchen table. Walking towards her, James smiled even more widely.

Finally, he reached her, wrapping one muscular arm around his waist, and another around her neck, and finished off by kissing her quite firmly.

"Why so happy, James?" Lily asked, eyeing his Cheshire cat grin, and watching him trace out her neck, shoulders and arms with his eyes.

"Why shouldn't I be happy? My lovely, beautiful wife is pregnant! With a real baby!" James said, still transfixed on Lily, but staring into her eyes now.

Lily couldn't help but laugh. Between giggles, she tried to explain that more often than not, pregnancies led to real babies.

"Were you imagining a plastic doll or something?" Lily laughed as James shook his head.

"You know what I meant. . . I was actually imagining a baby with blue eyes or something, which _neither_ of us have-"

Lily cut across James, suddenly stern: "Are you implying that I'm screwing around behind your back, James? Because, to let you know, I think that Chaser for the Tutstill Tornadoes is a real looker. . ." Laughing, then nearly choking, Lily did not expect James to kiss her again, much less when she was breathing.

But no matter, James always took Lily's breath away.

Between gasps, Lily managed to eke out, "I was joking you know, and all babies' eyes are blue when they are born- they just change to whatever color they were meant to have, I think. . . plus, we don't even know if I'm pregnant- which is why I'm going out."

James pulled back and asked in a surprised tone, "Going out? Going out where? You hate going out on Sundays! Surely you aren't going to apparate all the way to London to get a pregnancy test."

"No, Lily replied, "I'm going to the Muggle convenience store the next village over, in Rockwall.

And if you'll excuse me," she continued, "I'd like to be on my way before the temperature drops."

Slipping out of his grip, Lily walked to the closet and picked out her black jacket and woolen scarf. A hat wouldn't hurt either.

Turning to James once more, she asked him where the bike was.

"I didn't even know we had a bike. Would it be in the shed, out back? It'll probably need a tune-up or cleaning of some sort."

Lily thanked him and went out the side door. A slight, chilly wind blew across her face and lifted her bright auburn hair, but other than that, it was a perfect day. The sun shone though the now leafless trees, leaving shadows on the ample back yard. A small wooden shed sat in the back of the yard, at the wood's edge, with browned, crunchy leaves on the roof.

Walking towards it, leaves blew and rattled across the ground around her, and the trees swayed and creaked. Finally reaching and opening the shed, she saw in the dark a small yellow bicycle with a basket in the front, attached to the handle bars. Perfect.

Yanking the bike out of the shed by the base of the handle bars, it nearly toppled her over as it came out.

James was right; the whole thing was covered in grime and cobwebs, and the tires were sagging. The straw basket was faded, and the rubber on the handle bars was coming apart.

Lily tapped the tires, and they inflated, plump and firm. The grime was to be tackled next. _"Scourgify!" _Lily said, and all the dirt off the bike disappeared. Lily tapped the handle bars, and the rubber mended itself. Now, she was good to go.

Wheeling the bike out past the gate, she could feel the protective charms shrink behind her.

Stepping off the curb, she mounted the bike, and pedaled away from home, her safe, protected sanctuary. . . .

Pedaling, and with increasing speed, she heard muffled shouts, and then "LILY!"

The brakes screeched to a halt, and she drew her wand, twisting her head around to see who bellowed her name, a small seed of dread blooming in her stomach. . . .

But it was only James, standing in his boxers and a t-shirt. He was waving a small brown lump in his hand.

Lily stuffed her wand back in her jacket pocket. Pedaling back, Lily could see clearly that she had forgotten her wallet, and that James was obviously freezing.

"L- Lily! You left your wallet with all your Muggle money in the h-house. I wanted to catch you b-before you le-"

Before James could finish his sentence, Lily kissed him again. Payback for taking her breath away earlier.

Still kissing him, with more and more intensity, she found the crook of his arm which had the hand that held the wallet, she wrestled it from his grip, and broke apart from James.

"Look at us", said James, in a bemused tone, " Kissing like we were seventeen again! We're not at Hogwarts, Lily, and certainly not in private- I mean, what if somebody looked out their window, and saw us-"

"There's nothing wrong with us kissing like we're seventeen", Lily interjected, "and if someone did see us, you'd be the crazy next-door neighbor who runs around in his boxers, and I'd just be his equally crazy wife. . . But there's still nothing wrong with that."

"Yeah, well, glad to see you're alright with being crazy, I, on the other hand, would love to keep my sanity. . . and my feet. They might freeze off!"

Lily and James looked down simultaneously, to see James's bare feet on the cold, hard pavement.

Letting out a shiver, Lily thanked James for the wallet, and turned the bicycle.

"Well, you'd better get inside. . . Its cold." Slapping his butt playfully, she mounted the bike, and pedaled off.

When she was a good distance away, she looked back, and James was still there, his hand still raised in a ghost of a wave.

Raising her arm, she waved back, and then twisted around and pedaled forward. If she wanted to reach the convenience store in time, she'd have to get going.

* * *

After about 45 minutes of riding through country lanes, watching trees zooming by, and leaves swirling through the air, she finally reached the small convenience store (Patrick's Quickie Mart) on the end of a long, relatively empty street. Only one car was parked in front the of the Mart. She could hear a Muggle highway some distance away.

Leaning her bike against the brick wall of the store, confident that no one would steal it. Her arrival into the store was announced by a tingle of bells overhead. The young, blonde cashier smiled at Lily, and then went back to her magazine. Stopping at the small, hanging directory, she made her way to aisle 4, which was labeled 'feminine needs, pregnancy tests, cosmetics.'

The aisle was packed with pads, tampons, and all sorts of makeup. Lily glanced at the tampons, hoping she would not need them for another nine months.

Down at the end, there was a skinny woman already down by the pregnancy tests. By the looks of it, she was carrying her weight in the test boxes. Lily hoped that there would be at least one left for her.

Lily footsteps were masked by the sound of falling boxes; the frail woman had dropped her precious cargo. She was muttering to herself, and picking up boxes as fast as they were falling.

Lily bent down and picked up 4 boxes, and tapped the almost familiar woman on the shoulder.

The woman spun around, boxes flying and showering Lily.

"Oh! Im so sorry, I didn't realize-" However, the woman never finished her sentence.

Lily was hit with a horrible sense of recognition.

She realized that she was staring into the pale, horse-shaped, bony face of . . . . her sister.

Petunia's mouth was agape, and angry red splotches began to form along her long, craning neck.

Her eyes were swiveling all around Lily, sucking her in, everything from Lily's hair to her hands to the test boxes in them. Lily could feel color rushing to her cheeks and heat radiating of her neck.

"P-Petunia . . .? Tuney?" Lily broke the silence first, but Petunia seemed determined to keep it going until she passed out- she hadn't taken a breath since she whirled around and showered Lily with pregnancy tests.

Petunia looked around, her eyes fearful, and as big as saucers, making sure nobody was in the already nearly deserted store. She acted as if Lily were some illegal, hideous beast that Petunia was smuggling into the country.

Then, in a high, shaky voice, Petunia leaned in and asked, _"What are you doing here!?"_

Venom could almost be detected in her voice, ready to spit at Lily.

"I needed to get a pregnancy test, so I rode my bike here, seeing as I live very close, in the next village over." Lily hoped that Petunia wouldn't pass out, or run away screaming.

You . . . you live in the _next_ village over? I didn't know your kind of _freaks_,"-Petunia positively spat this word, and it hit Lily like a javelin- "lived so close to. . . normal people! I drove _four hours_ out of my way in hope of not meeting any of _your kind_, and look what I've found! My freak of a sister! No, not even my sister!"

By now, Petunia was yelling, a note of hysteria in her pitchy voice. Lily was nearly on the verge of tears; after all these years of not talking to Petunia, was Lily still a freak?

Swallowing back her tears, Lily was determined to change the subject.

"So. . . you're expecting? Congratulations, Tuney!" Petunia winced at her old nick-name.

"Yes, I am", said Petunia rather stiffly, "Are you?" Petunia looked down, as if fathoming some disgusting sea monster in Lily's uterus.

"Well, I don't know- I figured a pregnancy test would be a quick way to tell, I didn't feel like making an appointment at St. Mungo's."

Petunia nodded, and clutched her huge lot of pregnancy tests. A baby bump was already poking through her floral sun dress. Lily wondered if the thought of pregnancy scared Petunia, and whether every time she took a pregnancy test, Petunia prayed for a little minus sign.

"Are you still with that Potter boy? Is it his child?" Petunia seemed to forget that she was invited to be the maid of honor at the Potter's wedding.

"Yes, _James _and I are married, and yes, it is his child . . . Now, I'm pretty sure your baby is Vernon's?" Lily couldn't think of a jab for Vernon, because Petunia was beginning to annoy her.

Petunia nodded, and Lily could see the color slowly returning to her face as she became more accustomed to Lily's presence. The conversation was dying, however. There wasn't much else to say.

Suddenly, Petunia said "I wondered where you'd gotten to after you graduated from that . . . place. We never talked, and I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure if you were . . . alright."

Lily was completely agog at the sudden rush of affection from Petunia. So was Petunia, apparently, because she had clapped her hand over her mouth, and her eyes were widened in complete shock. The lack of support from one hand had caused more boxes to fall.

"I- I must be going, now, Vernon will be wondering where I am..." With that, Petunia turned on her heel and because to march away.

"Petunia! _Petunia!_ Wait! Your tests!" Lily was now holding eight boxes; half hoping Petunia wouldn't turn around, but she did.

"Take those ones- I don't need them, I suppose. . . I think we've nearly cleaned out the whole shelf." Petunia approached the cashier, paid for her many pregnancy tests, and quickly walked out, as if she we trying to vacate a crime scene.

Lily listened to the engine of Petunia's car rev up, and then the sound became smaller and smaller until she could not hear it anymore. Lily took one box, and stacked the other seven back on the shelf. She began to walk away, when a moment of hesitation paused her: What if the test was defective? Or didn't work on Witches? Lily walked back to the shelf, and grabbed another box, just in case. Worst case would be that she'd have to go to St. Mungo's after work tomorrow.

Lily paid for her tests and walked out of the store. Her bike was still there, leaned against the brick wall. She mounted, kicked off, and rode off down the road.

Home seemed far away.


	4. Yes! For Now

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything but the plot.

**Author's Note: **I was really excited to see all the reviews and adds to the story alert list, favorite's list, and favorite authors' list. It feels great to see all those lovely adds in my inbox, so I'd like to thank to following people:

_Reviews__:_ Aloe Python, An Aspiring Author, DarkRoseDevon, shetlandlace, phoenix soup, RemusSiriusJames, HeyLookTheSnitch, OfLoveandLust, siabrach, Sugar Mama, firelily28, HermioneWeasley007 and BlueEyedChica.

_Story Alerts/Favorites:_ LaughingManiac, BlueEyedChica, Bay-for-the-Moon, An Aspiring Author, magicalrose, Eternal Words, IHeartJamesPotter, DarkRoseDevon, x-Faded-Star-x, PottersLittleSister, and phoenix soup.

_Author Alerts/Favorites:_ BlueEyedChica, phoenix soup, and HermioneWeasley007.

Sorry if I forgot anyone; just message me and I'll add you with special apologies next chapter! Thanks a _bunch_ everybody!Also, I don't actually know what pregnancy test looks like, so if the test isn't actually encased in plastic when it comes out of the box, then my bad.

* * *

Lily burst through the backdoor, panting heavily and clutching her chest, while she placed the pregnancy test on the kitchen counter. Now clutching her side, she was leaning against the counter for support. The yellow bicycle was dumped unceremoniously in the backyard, several yards from the shed.

Still panting, Lily was joined by James, who was know in a different pair of boxers and a green t-shirt. Lazy Sunday, eh?

"Lily, what's happened to you? You've looked like you just outrun a manticore! Were you attacked?" A look of fear was painted over James's face and in his eyes. His worry lines deepened.

Wheezing for breath, Lily managed to get upright, but just barely. Her chest was still heaving.

"I- I'm fine. James, honestly, I'm just fine- I only wanted to get into the door before- before night fell! I didn't feel too happy about riding around in the dark, so I pedaled like _crazy_ to get here before dusk. I'm okay, I promise."

Lily wheezed some more, and James looked outside. It was now, in fact, dark outside. The trees near the window bumped and swayed in the nightly wind Their creaking gave off an eerie aura.

"And," Lily started, now with her hands on her knees, "I got what I was looking for."

She held up a plastic bag which said "Thank you for shopping!" and had an obscenely huge smiley face on both sides. James took the bag, and removed to box that was inside.

He read the cover- which only confused him.

"Where do you stick _this_?" James asked, with a very bewildered look on this face. "You can't possibly _stick_ thisup anywhere, I mean, look at the size of this thing. . . judged by the picture on the box. . . do you use it like a thermometer?"

"You don't wedgethis thing in anywhere, James," Lily retorted, grabbing the box from him, "You _pee_ on it."

". . .Oh, gross! Why would you do such a thing like that?" James was being genuine; he was extremely confused.

"Well, let me open it, and we'll read the directions in the box. Then I'll do my thing and we'll know if I'm pregnant or not!" Lily's face lit up like a Christmas tree, excitement illuminating her features.

James's face softened, and his eyes went from Lily's stomach to the box to her eyes.

"I sure hope you are pregnant. I really want to be a dad." Then James added, "I also hope our baby has your eyes."

"And your stunning good looks," Lily teased. Lily turned to the table, while James sidled up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist.

Lily tore open the box with her fingers. Plastic encased the stick, so Lily cut it away with a flick of her wand. Directions also slid out of the box, so Lily picked them up and read them to aloud, while James silently listened.

". . . You pee on the designated area of the strip. . . shake the urinated- on pregnancy test. . . wait five minutes. Easy enough, eh? I'm going to need some tap water."

James rushed to the sink, conjuring a glass and pouring her a good measure of water.

He handed it to her, and watched her like a hawk as she downed it.

"Can a I have a banana?" Lily's eyes where searching the top of the refrigerator, where the fruit bowl was sometimes kept.

"Do bananas make you pee, too? Do you need more water?" James was positively giddy now.

"Um, I don't think they do, but I'm hungry anyway. I've got the water -_aguamenti- _ah, ok."

Water filled the brim of the glass.

Lily downed that, too, and went to go put the bag under the sink. She danced around a little, shaking her hips. James looked on with amusement. Reaching to the top of the refrigerator for her banana, her husband couldn't help but stare.

Lily turned, her mouth already stuffed with banana, when she realized what James had been up to.

Lily swallowed, and asked: "Sexy, am I? How about when I'm a whale? I wont be too hot then, I'll bet, but I'll be one heck of a pillow, huh? Nice and comfy!" Lily patted her stomach.

"Lily, don't be ridiculous," James started, his eyes wandering again, "You'll always be incredibly beautiful to me."

"Good save, James"

Lily kissed him, but broke the kiss abruptly. "I have to pee!" Lily exclaimed, running towards the bathroom off the kitchen. Closing the door, she squealed the same time James knocked: Lily had forgotten the pregnancy test.

She opened the door, took the test, and shut the door quickly again.

James paced around the kitchen, once, twice, three times, then sat on the couch. He began to tap his foot impatiently, then ran his hand through the infamous black tufts of hair.

Why did women take so long?

Just this morning, Lily had been throwing up in the porcelain bowl, and now, now, she was

determining their fate, their happiness: the existence of a baby.

Long, agonizing seconds passed, James breathed in and out, feeling his body get heavier, and tenser, listening to the lack of sound, the deafening silence, while the minutes were passing. . .

The, suddenly, the door clicked, and all the tension seemed to build up in one straining climax until he heard Lily scream.

"YES!"

"Yes, Lily, yes?"

"Yes, yes, oh yes, James, we're pregnant! Can you believe it? In nine months, we're going to have a baby!" Lily ran at his open arms, and with a leap, wrapped her arms and legs around his neck and torso.

James grinned, beaming from cheek to cheek, as Lily kissed him again and again.

A small tear slid down James's cheek, and Lily wiped it away. Her eyes were brimming with tears, just waiting to splash down onto her fair complexion. James lowered himself into the couch, now cradling Lily.

"So. . . how does that little strip tell you if you're pregnant are not? What if it's not correct?"

James stared down into the little plastic stick in Lily's hand.

"Well, a blue negative sign is not pregnant, and a pink plus sign. . . is positive." Lily smiled radiantly, showing her husband the little pink ray of hope, in the form of a plus sign.

It seemed like a beacon, staring up at the both of them, promising and gleaming.

"However," Lily started, "I think we should stop at St. Mungo's after work, tomorrow, get a magical pregnancy test, and if I am really, really pregnant, we can start talking to a doctor and scheduling appointments. Then, we can tell everybody!" If it was possible, Lily smile had seemed to enlarge by a couple of inches.

"That's. . . that's absolutely amazing! Lily, come July, we'll be parents!" James had already counted the months.

"I know, I know. . . it's all so. . . exciting!" Lily stood, clasping James's hands. Motioning with her head to the stairs, James stood, and walked to the stairs. At the foot of the stairway, he extinguished the lights, and followed Lily up the stairs into their bedroom.

* * *

"You know," began Lily, lying in bed next to James, "we'll have to clear out the spare room, it'll be the baby's room, and pick out paints, furniture, clothes. . . maternity stuff. . . I can't wait to tell everybody! Just imagine Bathilda's reaction. . . and remember, Molly announced pregnant in September! Oh, how exciting. . . I'll bet she'll have lots of advice. I absolutely adore Fred and George; children are a lot fun when they are three. . . oh, James!"

James was dozing off when Lily had said his name, and he woke with a start. Lily didn't seem to notice, because she was already talking. What she said next, however, gripped James's attention, as Lily hoped it would.

"I met Petunia today at that muggle convenience store."

"Really? What happened?" James was now wide awake.

"Well", Lily began, "She's expecting, for one. It's Vernon's baby. . . and she said she 'wondered where I'd gotten to' after we'd graduated Hogwarts. It was a little surprising, actually. Plus, the look on her face when she recognized me was pretty funny."

"Wow, so her baby and our baby are going to be quite close in age," James stated.

"Well, I'm not so sure,"said Lily, "She already seemed a couple months along. She had a bit of a baby bump."

"No chance our kids being playmates anyways, right?" James seemed almost amused by this thought.

"No, I think not. . . Petunia called me a freak, even after all these years," Lily said wryly, "I don't think she'd want our 'abnormality' rubbing off on her kid, or something stupid like that." Lily settled into the covers and turned to James, folding one hand under her head.

James sighed, and reached for his wand. He waved it once, and turned out the lights. Stowing the wand under his pillow, he turned towards Lily.

Through the darkness, he could hear her whisper bitterly, "If anyone's got the abnormality, it's her."

Lily could feel James's hand clasp her, and she heard him whisper goodnight before she shut her eyes.

Tomorrow, Lily guessed, would be a long day.


End file.
